The present invention relates to a game system, game machine, game data distribution machine, image data distribution system and computer-usable information, which can synchronize clock signals between a plurality of machines.
Usually, each machine in a network operates in an asynchronous mode with respect to clock signals for determining its speed of executing a display of image and so on. It is thus difficult to synchronize the display of image or the like between the machines.
For example, when clock signals are not synchronized between the machines, the timing of image display will be deviated between the machines. This may provide a sense of incompatibility to a viewer when he or she simultaneously sees the screens of the machines.
Particularly, in a network type game system in which a game is performed while synchronizing between a plurality of game machines, it is important that the game machines are properly synchronized without any sense of incompatibility to players seeing the game scene.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to a game system, game machine, game data distribution machine, image data distribution system and computer-usable information, which can synchronize clock signals between a plurality of machines without an unpleasantness to players.
(1) To this end, the present invention provides a game system comprising at least one slave machine and a master machine connected to the slave machine through a transmission path, synchronization between the master machine and the slave machine being taken during operation,
wherein the master machine includes:
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of the synchronization; and
means for transmitting the generated reference clock to the slave machine,
wherein the slave machine includes:
means for receiving the reference clock transmitted from the master machine;
operation clock generation means for generating a slave operation clock for the slave machine so that the slave operation clock is synchronized with a master operation clock for the master machine based on the received reference clock; and
game means for executing a game based on the generated slave operation clock.
(2) The present invention also provides an image data distribution system comprising at least one image display machine and an image distribution machine connected to the image display machine through a transmission path, the image distribution machine distributing image data to the image display machine, synchronization between the image display machine and the image distribution machine being taken during operation,
wherein the image distribution machine includes:
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of the synchronization; and
means for transmitting the generated reference clock to the image display machine,
wherein the image display machine includes:
means for receiving the reference clock transmitted from the image distribution machine; and
operation clock generation means for generating a display operation clock for the image display machine so that the display operation clock is synchronized with a distribution operation clock for the image distribution machine based on the received reference clock.
(3) The present invention farther provides a game data distribution machine for distributing game data for playing a game to a plurality of game machines in which the game is played while a progressing state of the game in each of the game machines is synchronous each other, the game data distribution machine comprising:
means for generating the game data;
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of generation speed of the game data; and
means for transmitting the reference clock and the game data to the plurality of game machines,
wherein, in each of the plurality of game machines, execution speed of a game is adjusted based on the reference clock and the game is played at the execution speed of the game based on the game data.
(4) The present invention further provides a game machine for playing a game with at least one other game machine while a processing state of the game in the game machine is synchronous with a processing state of the game in the other game machine, the game machine comprising:
means for receiving game data from a game data distribution machine for distributing the game data to the game machine and to the other game machine, and a reference clock to be a basis of clock speed from the game data distribution machine;
means for generating an operation clock of the game machine so that a clock speed of the game machine is synchronized with a clock speed of the other game machine based on the received reference clock; and
means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock and the game data.
(5) The present invention further provides a game machine realizing at least one of a master function and a slave function and operating in synchronization with at least one other game machine, the game machine comprising:
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of the synchronization when the game machine realizes the master function;
means for transmitting the generated reference clock to the other game machine having the slave function when the game machine realizes the master function;
means for receiving the reference clock from the other game machine having the master function when the game machine realizes the slave function;
operation clock generation means for generating an operation clock based on the reference clock; and
game means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock.
(6) The present invention further provides a game machine realizing at least one of a master function and a slave function and operating in synchronization with at least one other game machine, the game machine comprising:
circuit for generating a reference clock to be a basis of the synchronization when the game machine realizes the master function;
circuit for transmitting the generated reference clock to the other game machine having the slave function when the game machine realizes the master function;
circuit for receiving the reference clock from the other game machine having the master function when the game machine realizes the slave function;
operation clock generating circuit for generating an operation clock based on the reference clock; and
game circuit for executing the game based on the generated operation clock.
(7) The present invention further provides computer-usable information embodied on an information storage medium or a carrier wave, for distributing game data for playing a game to a plurality of game machines while a progressing state of the game in each of the game machines is synchronous each other, the information comprising information for realizing:
means for generating the game data;
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of generation speed of the game data; and
means for causing transmission means to transmit the reference clock and the game data to the plurality of game machines,
wherein, in each of the plurality of game machines, execution speed of a game is adjusted based on the reference clock, and the game is played at the execution speed of the game based on the game data.
(8) The present invention further provides computer-usable information embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave, for a computer playing a game with at least one game machine while a progressing state of the game in the computer is synchronous with a progressing state of the game in the game machine, the information comprising information for realizing:
means for causing receiving means to receive game data distributed from a game data distribution machine distributing the game data to the game machine for playing the game, and a reference clock to be a basis of clock speed;
means for generating an operation clock of the computer so that a clock speed of the computer which uses the computer-usable information is synchronized with a clock speed of the game machine based on the received reference clock; and
means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock and the game data.
(9) The present invention further provides computer-usable information embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave, for a computer realizing at least one of a master function and a slave function and operating in synchronization with at least one game machine, the information comprising information for realizing:
means for generating a reference clock to be a basis of the synchronization when the computer realizes the master function;
means for causing transmission means to transmit the generated reference clock to the game machine having the slave function when the computer realizes the master function;
means for causing receiving means to receive the reference clock sent from the game machine having the master function when the computer realizes the slave functions
operation clock generation means for generating an operation clock based on the reference clock; and
game means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock.
According to the present invention, the master and slave machines can be operated based on a single reference clock by transmitting the reference clock to the slave machine. Thus, the basis of speed can be unified. As a result, the appropriate synchronization can be accomplished between the master and slave machines or between the slave machines. Particularly, when the present invention is applied to a game system, the appropriate synchronization can be attained between game machines with respect to display of game images, production of game sounds and so on. This can provide a sense of compatibility to players so that they can enjoy smooth operation of a network type game.
The term xe2x80x9cclockxe2x80x9d herein indicates a clock signal used as a basis of operating speed in various components of the machine. The term xe2x80x9coperation clockxe2x80x9d herein represents a clock signal which will be generated based on the clock in each of the machine components. A further clock used to synchronize various devices in the network is called xe2x80x9creference clockxe2x80x9d.
The respective components of the machine can synchronously be operated by synchronizing the clock. In such a manner, the game machine will be synchronized by one another with respect to the display of game images, production of game sounds and so on, such that they can also appropriately be synchronized by one another.
The reference clock is preferably of such a frequency that it can easily be transmitted. By using such a frequency, the necessary transfer bandwidth can be reduced.
It is to be noted that the game data includes at least one of game image data for display the game images and game sound data for producing the game sounds.
(10) The present invention further provides a game machine usable in a network to which a plurality of game machines are connected through a transmission path designed to transmit data with a predetermined transmission interval, the game machine operating in synchronization with at least one other game machine, the game machine comprising:
means for receiving game data for playing a game, with the transmission interval;
means for generating an operation clock based on the transmission interval; and
means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock and the game data.
(11) The present invention further provides computer-usable information embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave, being used in a network to which a computer and at least one game machine are connected through a transmission path designed to transmit data with a predetermined transmission interval, and for synchronizing with the game machine, the information comprising information for realizing:
means for causing receiving means to receive game data for playing a game, with the transmission interval;
means for generating an operation clock based on the transmission interval; and
means for executing the game based on the generated operation clock and the game data.
According to the present invention, when the transmission of data is to be performed with a constant interval, time component used as a basis of synchronization is generated by the use of the interval. Based on such a time component, the operation clock can be generated to determine a basis of operating speed.
When such a system is taken by all the processing devices connected to the network, only a single basis of operating speed can be established throughout all the processing devices. Thus, all the processing devices can exactly be synchronized.
It is to be noted herein that the other game machine is part or all of the plurality of game machines and that the other processing device is part or all of the plurality of processing devices.
(12) It is preferable that the reference clock is set to be of a frequency lower than the operation clock, the game means includes a plurality of game execution means, and the operation clock generation means generates the operation clock for each of the game execution means.
Thus, the necessary transmission band can be reduced in comparison with the transmission of a clock having the same frequency as the operation clock. Even when the reference clock is to be transmitted, its affection can be minimized with respect to the normal transmission of game data.
(13) It is further preferable that the game machine realizes the master function when the game machine starts prior to the other game machine, and realizes the slave function when the game machine starts after the other game machine.
Thus, even if a number of game machines are gradually increased, the appropriate synchronization can be accomplished between the game machines since the first started game machine functions as a master machine